Seeking Seven of Nine
by NikkiB1973
Summary: This is a short story set just after the episode Natural Law featuring Chakotay and Seven of Nine. AU


**Seeking Seven of Nine**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners, I am just having fun playing with the characters.

_**A/N-I would like to give a big thank you to SCIFIROMANCE who kindly beta'd this one-shot for me. Her amazing advice and encouragement gave me the courage to post this story! **_

_**Nikki :)**_

Chakotay entered the mess hall to find that he was the only one there. He had just pulled a double shift and he was feeling overtired. Part of him wanted to just crash in his quarters but when he had tried he found that sleep just wouldn't come. So instead he decided to go and get something to eat, thinking that maybe Neelix may have actually cooked something that he would find edible. The cheerful Talaxian was absent and every single table was empty. He had been hoping that maybe Tom or B'Elanna may have been there; she had mumbled something about heading that way after her shift ended. It looked like she and Tom had decided to stay in their quarters.

He headed over to the replicator and ordered a glass of red wine and some lasagne. Chakotay smiled at his odd choice of refreshment, the two didn't mix at all but as there was no one around to comment on his eclectic tastes he wasn't worried. He picked up his tray and sat at one of the tables at the back of the mess hall. It gave him a good view of the entrance so he could see anyone who may have decided to follow his example and take a late meal.

Chakotay tucked in eagerly, taking huge mouthfuls of the lasagne and chewing quickly. It was actually better then he expected. He took a huge gulp of the wine out of the glass and sighed contentedly as the alcohol warmed his throat. "Lovely." He murmured, patting his toned stomach in satisfaction.

He sat back in his chair and glanced around the large hall actually enjoying the rare peace and quiet. It was not often these days that he had time for reflection. Even when he was in his quarters he was usually too tired to enjoy anything, these days as soon as his shift ended he would go straight to bed, but today something was different. Pulling double duty had pushed him past the point of exhaustion and he was now running on pure adrenaline. Chakotay stood up and went to get another glass of wine, he was feeling very mellow and decided to treat himself and order a bottle.

As he poured himself another generous glass the doors to the mess hall swooshed open and to his surprise Seven of Nine swept in. Her blonde hair was done up in it's usual fashion but some stray wisps had escaped framing her attractive face. Her vivid blue eyes seemed brighter then usual under the dim lighting and Chakotay was entranced by the way she moved seamlessly across the room. He picked up his glass ready to take a sip when he missed his mouth completely as he was so focused on watching Seven. The cold liquid spilled onto his lap making him yelp in surprise.

Seven stopped walking and gazed over in his direction, her blue eyes showed her surprise at seeing him there and he caught the flush of red that tinged her cheeks. "Commander." She greeted him coolly. Chakotay admired her poise even though he could tell he had startled her.

"Hello Seven. I'm sorry I didn't mean to surprise you." Chakotay gave her a wry smile as he apologised.

"There is no need for an apology Commander. I just wasn't expecting anyone to be here. If you'll excuse me I will leave you to enjoy your drink." Seven's eyes locked onto the bottle of wine and her eyebrow arched in surprise at catching one of her commanding officers indulging.

This time it was Chakotay who felt a bit embarrassed. He cleared his throat nervously and gestured with his hand for Seven to join him. "Not at all. Would you care for a glass?" He asked her.

Seven's eyes flicked to the glass and then to his face as if she was assessing if he really meant what he said. Chakotay again gestured for her to take a seat. "Come Seven. We haven't had much time to catch up since we returned from our impromptu visit with the Ventu."

A smile tugged at Seven's lips as she remembered the young native girl who had given her the very blanket that she was clutching in her hands. She noticed Chakotay's dark eyes studying it and realised why he had brought up the subject of the gentle Ventu. "As you wish, Commander." She took a seat and sat stiffly opposite him as he poured her a glass of wine.

"What brings you here at this hour?" Chakotay took a sip of his own drink and smiled at her encouragingly.

Seven was unsure how to respond. She still found it difficult to express sentimentality but that is what had driven her to the mess hall seeking peace and quiet. Icheb was on duty in Astrometrics and she did not feel like having to explain to him what she was proposing to do with the blanket. Seven gripped the soft material tightly; the metal encasing one of her hands glinting in the soft lights. "I came here seeking..." she stopped speaking, unsure how to continue.

Chakotay saw her struggling. He reached out and touched her hand gently. "It's okay. Go on."

Seven studied his face and relaxed her posture slightly as she realised he wasn't annoyed at her intrusion but actually interested in what she had to say. She gently lay the blanket down on the table between them. Chakotay's eyes flicked to the blanket and he nodded in understanding as he saw the tiny rip that marred the exquisitely woven material.

"Ah I see. Now I understand. How did this happen?" He asked her softly.

Seven let out a small sigh. "Naomi Wildman wanted to play with it. I usually wouldn't have allowed her to touch it but she did promise me sincerely that she would be careful, unfortunately it came back damaged." Her human hand caressed the soft fibres of the blanket as she spoke.

"That's a shame." Chakotay sympathised. "Can it be mended?"

Seven nodded. "That's why I'm here." She admitted. "I wanted somewhere peaceful where I could sit and try to mend it. I have been studying the database and have a good idea how the Ventu weaved the cloth together."

Chakotay sat back and took another sip of his wine. "I could help." He offered.

Seven's cheeks tinged red again as she kept her eyes focused on the blanket. "That is very kind of you Commander..."

"Chakotay. Call me Chakotay Seven, we are off duty now."

Seven raised her eyes briefly to look at him to see if he was being sincere and not just pitying her. Her stance relaxed even more when she saw the kindness shining in his eyes. "Thank you. I would like that very much, Comma...Chakotay." She stumbled over his name, making him smile indulgently. She found herself tentatively returning it.

XXXXXX

The bottle of wine was half gone. Chakotay held the blanket steady as Seven, head bent and face full of concentration stitched the last piece of the delicate fabric in place. A smile of wonder lit up her face as she studied her handiwork.

"Perfection." Chakotay said teasingly as he held up the blanket under the lights. Seven's skilful fingers had repaired the blanket. No one would be able to tell that it had ever been damaged.

"I must concur." Seven agreed without a hint of arrogance. It was not in her nature to be boastful, but she knew good work when she saw it.

Chakotay thought she looked utterly adorable as the smile lingered on her full lips as she continued to gaze at the blanket in his hands. He wondered if she was thinking about their stay with the gentle Ventu like he often did. Taking another fortifying sip of his wine, Chakotay dared to broach the subject. "Do you miss them?" He asked.

A frown marred Seven's forehead as she turned her stunning blue eyes onto his. "Miss them? My feelings are irrelevant. It is improbable that I will ever see them again."

Chakotay shook his head. He placed the blanket carefully back on the table between them and took Seven's hand in his own. She stared at him in surprise. "Your feelings are not irrelevant, Seven. You are allowed to admit that you miss them. I do. When we were stranded there and finally rescued, a part of me was reluctant to leave. It was very peaceful there. The lives they led and the sense of closeness and family. It was all so simple and easy compared to what we face every day in our search for home."

Seven was shocked that Chakotay was being so open about his feelings. Her glance flicked to the bottle of wine and she wondered whether that had something to do with his loose tongue. He saw her eyes travel to the half empty bottle and he laughed. "I can tell what you're thinking. No this is not the alcohol talking. We shared an intense experience on that planet, Seven and I feel that you are the only one who would understand my feelings."

His honesty touched her. It was something she had never had before, someone being so open about how they felt. Most of the crew, apart from a select few, still treated her distantly. Her Borg heritage still a barrier even after all the years of service she had given on Voyager. It made her heart beat faster at the thought that a man she admired so much would feel relaxed enough to talk about such intimate feelings. Maybe she could return the favour and be honest about her own.

"I do miss them." She finally confessed hesitantly. "When I first met them I admit they frightened me with their primitive ways. But then I saw how you interacted with them and they showed such innocence and trust that I began to warm to them. I rather admired them in the end, how they had adapted to their environment. The little girl..." she stopped talking as she glanced at the blanket again.

"The little girl..." Chakotay prompted her. He was riveted by her animated expression as she talked. He knew he was getting the rare privilege of seeing the real Seven which she kept hidden behind her cool exterior.

Seven swallowed down the lump in her throat. "The little girl who gave me the blanket, she reminded me of what I could have been if I had not been assimilated. Her innocence and willingness to trust touched me here." She placed her human hand over her strongly beating heart.

Of all the things Chakotay had expected her to say that wasn't it. She had taken him completely by surprise. The level of trust she had placed in him by confessing such an intimate secret was overwhelming. As if she realised she had said too much Seven's posture changed. She reached out and picked up the blanket, holding it close to her chest. "I have taken up too much of your time, Commander." She said formerly, reverting to her normal way of speaking. "I thank you for your assistance." She began to rise but Chakotay caught her arm and pulled her to a halt.

"Seven, don't go. Please sit down." He spoke to her as if she was a frightened animal, which in a way she was.

Seven fought with herself internally, a large part of her wanting to flee the mess hall and the other wanting to comply to his request. She felt him tug on her arm gently and she found herself sinking back down in her seat. Chakotay gave her a relieved smile. "I apologise, Seven if I pushed you too far."

"There is no need to apologise, Commander. I am the one who is at fault." A guilty expression crossed her beautiful face.

Chakotay took her hand, he rubbed his thumb over the cool metal encasing the palm and fingers. "Why would you think you are at fault, Seven? I asked you a personal question and you answered me honestly. I feel honoured that you trust me enough to tell me how you felt. And please call me Chakotay."

Seven raised her eyes to his. She allowed him to keep holding her hand as she tried to think of the best way to answer him. In the end she decided to continue being honest. "Chakotay, I am not used to being so frank with others. I have been trying in my own way to be more open. Even though the Doctor has been giving me social lessons I still find it hard to express myself in a way that most humans would find acceptable."

Chakotay smiled at her wryly. "Let me assure you Seven that you expressed yourself better then most humans I know. Your words touched my heart."

Seven was captivated by the expression on his face, he was looking at her with such empathy and something else she couldn't quite give a name to. Ever so slowly she watched in fascination as he inclined his head closer to hers so that they were barely inches apart.

"Seven," he said in a low voice. "I know that this is probably inappropriate but as you have been so honest with me, I would like to be just as honest with you."

"Yes, Chakotay." Seven could feel his warm breath washing over her skin as he drew closer.

"I would really like to k..."

"Seven of Nine report to the bridge." The Captain's husky tones made them jolt apart as her voice boomed through the comm-system.

Seven stared at Chakotay for a brief second before she hit her badge and responded. "On my way, Captain." She was struck by how breathless she sounded.

Chakotay was leaning back in his chair, a smirk crossing his face as he laughed. "Trust the Captain to spoil the moment."

"Chakotay?" Seven said in confusion. Why was this funny?

"Don't worry Seven when you have finished with the Captain I will seek you out and maybe you would care to join me for some real food." Chakotay asked her, a teasing glint in his eyes.

Seven tentatively smiled at him as she nodded her acceptance. "I would like that."

"Great." Chakotay picked up his glass of wine and drained it. "I will see you soon, Seven of Nine." He raised his glass as if toasting her.

Seven picked up her own glass echoing his gesture thinking it was some sort of human custom that she didn't know about. A lot of research was obviously needed. "I will see you soon, Chakotay." She raised her glass and then put it back down.

Chakotay smiled as he watched her leave the mess hall, back ramrod straight as she strode gracefully from the room; the Ventu blanket clutched tightly in her hands.

_**Fin...**_

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


End file.
